During the project, Hayley undertook extensive fieldwork in the chaparral shrublands at the Fort Ord National Reserve in Monterey, California to gather data. These images were utilized to train machine learning models to distinguish between different species of chaparral shrubs. The project achieved a high accuracy rate and constituted a significant achievement in the field of computational ecology. The findings are laid out in detail in the manuscript, “A Drone-Powered Deep Learning Methodology for High Precision Remote Sensing in California’s Coastal Shrubs”, doi.org/10.3390/drones7070421, co-authored by Jon Detka, Hayley Coyle, Marcella Gomez, and Gregory Gilbert. The findings offered new insights into the dynamics of plant species in chaparral ecosystems, and how one might be able to quantify and map them. This may help shed light on the interactions between wildfire disturbances and disease prevalence and provide valuable information for land managers and conservationists in the future.
J. Detka, H. Coyle et al., 2023. Drone Map.
Frontier Fellow 2022-2023:
Hayley Coyle
Hayley Coyle is a senior in the Applied Mathematics program at the Baskin School of Engineering. The objective of Hayley’s research was to develop machine learning models for the classification of maritime chaparral shrub species using deep learning, object-based image analysis methods and high-resolution multispectral drone imagery in order to quantify the extent of above-ground dieback in a drought-prone landscape.
Hayley says: “My experience as a Frontier Fellow has been incredibly enriching and rewarding. Undertaking the Frontier Fellows Program allowed me the opportunity to explore the interaction of machine learning and environmental studies in the context of California chaparral shrublands. Our ambitious project focused on developing machine learning models to classify maritime chaparral shrub species using high-resolution multispectral drone imagery and quantifying the extent of dieback associated with pathogens and pest damage.
The project was a resounding success, earning us both the Dean’s and Chancellor’s award for 2023. The fellowship not only provided me with insight and hands-on experience with the practical application of AI in environmental studies, but also honed my collaborative research skills. The project was a collaborative endeavor between the Applied Mathematics and Environmental Studies departments, enabling me to experience firsthand the power of interdisciplinary research. I learned so much about team collaboration, how to effectively contribute to a shared goal, and the significance of every role in a research project. I am deeply grateful for the experiences and opportunities this fellowship has provided me. I wholeheartedly recommend the Frontier Fellows Program to any undergraduate student looking to gain hands-on research experience. This journey has been instrumental in shaping my research interests and paving the way for my future academic endeavors.”